Means for keying miniature electron tubes with their sockets



p 20, 1955 A. D. CORNETT EANS FOR KEYING MINIATURE ELECTRON TUBES WITH THEIR SOCKETS Filed Sept. 16, 1952 I e 4 m n M h v C & x :15? 1 a... ...in l g 7 E551!!! illlrldllllllllllllli fill United States Patent OfiFice 2,718,624 Patented Sept. 20, 1955 2,718,624 I MEANS FOR KEYIN G MINIATURE ELECTRON TUBES WITH THEIR SOCKETS Archie D. Cornett, Johnson City, Tenn., assignor of onehalf to Gladys E. Garland, Johnson City, Tenn. Application September 16, 1952, Serial No. 309,901 8 Claims. (Cl. 339184) My invention relates broadly to miniature electron tubes and more particularly to means for keying miniature electron tubes with their sockets.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a practical method and structure for keying miniature electron tubes of the type having a multiplicity of contact pins with their sockets to facilitate the alignment and inroduction of the electron tubes with their sockets.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for keying miniature electron tubes with their sockets, wherein a multiplicity of contact pins extend from the base of the tube with one pair of contact pins separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins whereby a sensing element associated with the socket may effect an entry between the said spaced pair of contact pins for guiding the electron tube into its socket.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a keying means for aligning miniature electron tubes with their sockets to eifect a quick, reliable method of inserting the tubes into their sockets under conditions where the proper contact terminals of the socket must be located blindly in difficult to reach congested quarters.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an arrangement of sensing spring mounted adjacent the contact terminals of an electron tube socket and normally projectable into the path of entry of a multiple contact pin electron tube having a multiplicity of contact pins wherein one pair of the contact pins is separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins and wherein the sensing spring serves as a guide upon entry between the more widely spaced contact pins for properly aligning the electron tube with the contact terminals of the socket and wherein the base and side wall of the electron tube operates in the nature of a cam for displacing the sensing spring out of position as the contact pins of the electron tube are moved to contact position with the terminals of the socket.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the assembly of a sensing spring with a multiple terminal electron tube socket where the sensing spring eoact's with the base and side wall of the tube as the tube is moved into its socket terminals for aligning the tube with respect to the socket and displacing the spring out of electrical contact with the contact pins prior to the electrical connection with the socket terminals of the electron tube socket as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of an electron tube shown in juxta opposed relation to an electron tube socket of the shielded type, the socket being partially broken away and illustrated in section and showing the sensing spring of my invention in elevation; Fig. 2 is a view similar to the view shown in Fig. 1 but oriented 90 degrees in a horizontal direction and illustrating the manner in which the sensing spring is biased inwardly over the socket terminals and in the path of movement of the electron tube and its associated contact pins; Fig. 3 illustrates the electron tube and the multiple contact pins thereof suspended by the obstruction offered by the sensing spring at the time that orientation of the electron tube has served to allow entry of the sensing spring between the pair of contact pins which are separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins of the electron tube; Fig. 4 is a view similar to the view shown in Fig. 3 but illustrating the electron tube moved to contact position with the socket terminals and showing the manner in which the sensing spring is displaced out of the path of the pin terminals from the position between the sensed pair of pin terminals illustrated in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 and illustrating the manner in which the sensing spring effects an entry between the pair of contact pins which are separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 4 and illustrating the manner in which the sensing spring is displaced out of position from a position between the more widely spaced pair of pin terminals of the electron tube prior to the electrical connection of the contact pins of the tube with the socket terminals of the electron tube socket; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner that the inwardly biased sensing spring effects an entry between the more widely spaced contact pins of the electron tube prior to the establishment of connection of the contact pins with the socket terminals of the electron tube socket; Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional view for explaining with greater clarity the manner in which the base and wall of the electron tube seats upon the inwardly biased sensing spring and is maintained in an elevated position out of contact with the socket terminals of the electron tube socket so long as the sensing spring enters between the contact pins of the electron tube; Fig. 9 shows the application of the keying means of my invention to unshielded electron tube sockets, the view showing the manner in which the electron tube is aligned with the socket terminals, and prior to the electrical connection of the contact pins with the socket terminals; and Fig. 10 is a view similar to the view shown in Fig. 9 but illustrating the manner in which the sensing spring is displaced by the cam action of the base and side wall of the envelope of the electron tube, out of the path of the contact pins at the time that the contact pins establish electrical connection with the socket terminals.

With the development of miniature electron tubes of the multiple electrode type, the enclosing vessel and base of the electron tube is formed wholly of insulation material such as glass and without the conventional base. Heretofore in the art, the base of an electron tube has been depended upon to effect a bayonet joint with the electron tube socket for thus aligning the multiple contact pins of the electron tube with the coacting socket terminals. Where the base of applied insulation material is wholly omitted and the vessel is closed by a base sealed to the wall of the tube as in the case of all-glass tubes, the mechanical alignment of the multiple contact pin tube with respect to the coacting socket terminals has become a severe problem. Miniature glass tubes of the pentode type employ a multiplicity of contact pins projecting from the bottom of the vessel and wherein one pair of the contact pins is separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins. Where the socket terminals are located in inaccessible positions, as is often the case, particularly in mobile radio installations, it is often diflicult to make a tube replacement, as the tube must be twisted and turned in an effort to discover the proper oriented position at which the contact pins may be forced into the socket terminals. This operation must frequently be made simply by feeling the wider spacing of one pair of contact pins and estimating the position of the correct socket terminals, and

where this operation must be conducted in congested quarters and subdued light in which the equipment may be only poorly visible, the installation and replacement of such miniature tubes are both tedious and time-consum- My invention is directed to an arrangement of flat sensing spring having a width just sufficient to clear the distance between the more widely spaced pair of contact pins of the electron tube. The sensing spring is located adjacent the electron tube socket just above the pair of more widely spaced socket terminals and biased inwardly with respect thereto. The electron tube having the multiplicity of depending contact pins with one pair of the contact pins separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins is moved to a position just above the socket terminals and then oriented to a position in which the fiat sensing spring yieldably moves to a position between the more widely spaced pair of contact pins. When this sensed position is located, the electron tube is pushed toward theelectron tube socket with the end and side wall of the vessel seating upon the sensing spring with the contact pins depending in a position above the aligned socket terminals. The vessel is now pressed toward the socket terminals and in doing so the sensing spring is displaced outwardly by cam action so that the sensing spring is fully displaced from contact relation with the pair of more widely spaced contact pins prior to the establishment of electrical connection between the contact pins and the socket terminals. That is to say, the glass tube floats above the socket with the contact pins thereof depending toward the socket terminals but physically spaced therefrom so long as the sensing spring bridges the distance between the more widely spaced pair of contact pins. As additional pressure is applied, the sensing spring is wholly displaced to one side of the electron tube and the contact pins enter the socket terminals.

I may apply my invention to both shielded and unshielded electron tube mountings, as in either instance, the inwardly biased sensing spring is disposed adjacent the more widely spaced socket terminals on a line extending radially therebetween and in radially displaceable out of position between the contact pins before the electron tube is moved to a position in which the contact pins establish electrical connection with the socket terminals.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, reference character 1 indicates the vessel of a miniature electron tube which may be of glass closed by a glass base portion represented at 2 and having a multiplicity of contact pins 3 depending downwardly'from the glass base 2 in conventional manner. One pair of the contact pins is spaced for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins as represented at 4 in Figs. 1, 5 and 7. The pins 3 and 4 constitute the terminals for the pentode or the electrodes of the multiple electrode electron tube enclosed by vessel 1.

The electron tube constituted by vessel 1 and base 2 coacts with the electron tube socket represented at 5.

.The socket 5, as illustrated in Figs. l8, is of the electrically shielded type including a cylindrical shell 6 which surrounds the socket terminals schematically shown at 7. The socket terminals 7 correspond in number to the number of contact pins depending from the vessel 1 and base 2 and there are one pair of socket terminals more widely spaced than the remaining socket terminals in order to receive the aligned pair of contact pins 4 as distinguished from the remaining contact pins 3. I have indicated this particular pair of socket terminals at 7a as more clearly represented in Fig. 7. Lugs for establishing electrical connection with the socket terminals extend downwardly through the socket 5 as represented at 7 and 7a.

In the case of the shielded type of socket illustrated in Figs. 1-8, the shell 6 is apertured at one side thereof, ,as represented at 8, in a position aligned with the pair of socket terminals 7a. This aperture has a width appreciatively greater than the distance between the more widely spaced pair of socket terminals 7a and extends for a distance slightly less than one-half the height of the shell 6. A sensing spring 9 is fastened to the inside wall of shell 6 by suitable means such as rivet 10 or by means of a solder connection. The sensing spring 9 has a width sufficient to bridge the distance between the pair of pin terminals 4 as represented in Figs. 5 and 7, for example, and yet greater than the individual distances between the balance of the contact pins represented at 3. The sensing spring 9 is of flat construction and is biased inwardly and terminates in a curved end portion 9a. Figs. 2, 3, 5, 7 and 8 represent the manner in which the spring 9 is resiliently biased inwardly with respect to the shell 6 and in the path of the electron tube 1 and the base 2 thereof. The curved end 9a of sensing spring 9 moves in a path over the socket terminals 7a while bridging the distance between contact pins 4. When the vessel 1 is moved into the shell 6, it occupies a position illustrated in Figs. 3, 7 and 8 where the side wall of the vessel 1 and the base 2 seat upon the sensing spring 9 with the depending contact pins 3 and 4 elevated above the aligned socket terminals 7 and 7a, respectively. The proper alignment for the contact pins with respect to the socket terminals is obtained by orienting the vessel 1 until the sensing spring 9 yieldably springs into position between the pair of contact pins 4. When this occurs the electron tube is properly aligned so that the contact pins will enter the proper socket terminals. This operation of twisting the two about the seat formed by sensing spring 9 may be accomplished by a sense of feeling and without seeing the position of the contact pins or socket terminals at all. Although the pair of contact pins 4 may at this time be shunted out by the bridging relation of sensing spring 9, this is not at all injurious, for at this time the tips of the contact pins 3 and 4 are elevated out of electrical connection with the socket terminals 7 and 7a, respectively. The tube thus aligned is now ready to be shoved into its socket. This is accomplished as represented in Fig. 4 where the side wall 1 and base 2 of the electron tube operate as a cam and displace the sensing spring 9 out of position and through the aperture 8 in the side wall of shell 6 as shown in Fig. 4, allowing the contact pins to establish electrical connection with the proper socket terminals. The wall of the shell 6 opposite aperture 8 may be similarly apertured as represented at 8 to facilitate the access to fastening means which may engage the lugs 6a and 6b of the shell 6 when securing the shell and attached socket to a supporting base. The projecting terminus 9a of the sensing spring 9 shown projecting through aperture 8 in the side Wall of shell 6 in Fig. 4 is instantly ready to move inwardly into the shell 6 as represented in Fig. 2 as soon as the electron tube is removed from the socket.

My invention is equally applicable to installations of unshielded construction as represented in Figs. 9 and 10 in which the base of insulation material shown at 11 provides the mounting means for the socket 5 or the socket terminals represented at 7 and 7a therein. The base 11 carries a mounting means 12 aligned with the more widely spaced socket terminals 7a which serves to support the resilient inwardly biased sensing spring shown at 14. In this arrangement the sensing spring 14 is curved inwardly and terminates in an outwardly bowed end 14a which serves as a seat for engaging the base 2 and end wall 1 of the electron tube as it approaches the electron tube socket. As soon as the vessel abuts against sensing spring 14, it is oriented horizontally clockwise and counterclockwise until the inwardly biased sensing spring 14 slips between the more widely spaced contact pins 4, the width of sensing spring 14 being such that it cannot enter between the uniformly spaced contact pins 3 but will enter between the more widely spaced contact pins 4. With the electron tube thus aligned with the socket, the tube is ready to be pressed into the socket. In moving the tube into the socket, sensing spring 14 is displaced as represented in Fig. by a cam action in which sensing Spring 14 is moved wholly out of the path of contact pins 4 prior to the electrical connection of these contact springs with the socket terminals 7a. Upon removal of tube 1, sensing spring 14 again moves inwardly to the position illustrated in Fig. 9 ready for a further alignment of the tube with the socket in replacing a renewal tube therein.

I have found the means for keying miniature electron tubes with their sockets, as set forth herein, highly practical and successful in operation. Although I have described my invention in one of its preferred embodiments, I realize that modifications may be made, and I desire that it be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire Patent of the United States is:

1. Means for aligning miniature electron tubes, of the type terminating in a rounded end terminus contiguous with the envelope of the tube and including multiple pin contacts projecting therefrom and having a pair of contact pins separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins, with their sockets comprising, a socket for receiving the contact pins of a multiple contact pin electron tube and a displaceable aligning device supported adjacent said socket and normally projecting into the path of the contact pins of the multiple contact pin tube, said aligning device sensing the distance between the pair of contact pins which are separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins of the tube upon orientation of the tube envelope and the contact pins thereon with respect to said aligning device and being displaceable out of the path of the contact pins when the electron tube is oriented to a position to locate the contact pins that are separated for a greater distance than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins for embracing and displacing said device as the tube is moved into said socket.

2. Means for aligning miniature electron tubes, of the type terminating in a rounded end terminus contiguous with the envelope of the tube and including multiple pin contacts projecting therefrom and having a pair of contact pins separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins, with their sockets comprising, a base structure, a multiple arrangement of socket terminals carried by said base structure for coaction with the contact pins of a multiple contact pin electron tube wherein a pair of socket terminals are spaced in correspondence with the spacing of the pair of contact pins which are separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins, a sensing spring mounted on the base structure in radial alignment with said pair of socket terminals, said sensing spring yieldably projecting above said pair of socket terminals in the path of the contact pins on the multiple contact pin tube for sensing the position at which said multiple contact pin tube may be aligned with said socket terminals by locating the contact pins that are separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins on either side of said sensing spring preparatory to movement of said tube into the aligned socket terminals.

3. Means for aligning miniature electron tubes with their sockets as set forth in claim 2 in which said sensing spring is flat and bridges the distance separating the pair of contact pins that are separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the re maining contact pins and provides a yieldable seat for the side and end wall of the multiple contact pin tube for maintaining the contact pins out of electrical conto secure by Letters 6 tact with the socket terminals until said sensing spring is driven out of connection with the said pair of contact pins.

4. Means for aligning miniature electron tubes with their sockets as set forth in claim 2 in which said sensing spring comprises a fiat strip of resilient material secured at one end to said base structure and curved at its free end into the path of movement of the multiple contact pin tube toward said socket terminals for establishing a cam contact with the rounded end terminus of the tube for displacing said sensing spring out of electrical connection with the said pair of contact pins.

5. Means for aligning miniature electron tubes with their sockets as set forth in claim 2 in which said sensing spring is a flat strip of resilient material secured at one end to said base structure and curved at its free end into the path of movement of said multiple contact pin tube toward said socket terminals for establishing a slidable cam contact with the rounded end terminus of the base and side wall of the envelope of the tube whereby said sensing spring serves as a yieldable support for the tube as the contact pins move into said socket terminals, said sensing spring being displaceable from a position in contact with the base of the envelope of the tube to a position in tangential contact with the side wall of the envelope of the tube.

6. Means for aligning miniature electron tubes with their sockets as set forth in claim 1, in which said socket includes a cylindrical shield projecting vertically therefrom for guiding the tube into and out of the socket, said shield being apertured at one side thereof and said aligning device being secured to the inner wall of said shield and being projectable through the apertured shield into sliding contact with the rounded end terminus of the envelope of the tube when the multiple contact pin tube is forced into a limiting position in said socket.

7. Means for aligning miniature electron tubes with their sockets as set forth in claim 1, in which said socket includes a cylindrical shield projecting vertically therefrom for guiding the tube into and out of the socket, said shield being apertured at one side thereof adjacent the socket and said aligning device being secured to the inner wall of said shield above the apertured portion thereof and depending dwonwardly and being projectable through the apertured shield into sliding contact with the rounded end terminus of the envelope of the tube when the multiple contact pin tube is forced into a limiting position in said socket.

8. Means for aligning miniature electron tubes with their sockets as set forth in claim 1 in which said socket includes a cylindrical shield projecting vertically therefrom for guiding the tube into and out of the socket, said shield being apertured at one side thereof adjacent the socket and in which said aligning device comprises a strip of resilient material having a width substantially equal to the distance between said pair of contact pins which are separated for a distance greater than the individual spacing between the remaining contact pins of the tube and appreciably less than the width of the aperture in the side of said shield, said strip being secured to the inner wall of said shield above the apertured portion thereof and depending downwardly therefrom into the path of said multiple pin tube and being displaceable through the apertured shield into sliding contact with the rounded end terminus of the envelope of the tube as the multiple contact pin tube is forced into a limiting position in said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,671,284 Hanly May 29, 1928 1,750,014 Lofgren Mar. 11, 1930 2,291,001 Smith July 28, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 644,116 Great Britain Oct. 4, 1950 

